Big 10 Dreams Big

(Thanks miss_blackbutterfly for the image.)


Adding a team to an existing conference is a lot like adding an extra fourth grade class to a school in the middle of the year—it’s a great idea with many benefits, but a logistical nightmare.

What we have to keep in mind is that conference allegiances go beyond the football field. There are other sports to consider and even (gasp!) academics. But mostly, there’s money. What the Big 10 needs is a large, state school (to jive with the existing culture) in the Midwest that will also attract copious viewers to the Big 10 Network and bring in enough revenue to not drain resources from the existing schools. Since Notre Dame will likely spurn an additional $10 million in annual revenue to maintain their “independence,” the Big 10’s dream of being a real conference is in danger of being fumbled even before the snap. Potential replacements in New England just won’t be big enough draws to justify their addition, and how will the Big XII react to Missouri’s potential flight? Are they seriously going to let TCU in because of a few hot years?

The real conundrum is much more serious. If the Big 10 manages to expand, whatever will call their conference?